Coastal Inlet Navigation Channel Shoaling with Deepening and Widening

This Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering Technical Note (CHETN) describes the response of six inlet navigation channel projects to deepening and widening. In all cases, deepening and/or widening of these channels increased the dredging rate. The postdredging rate has a good correlation with the deficit of sediment in the channel (defined as the difference between the natural and dredged channel volumes), as compared to the natural (nondredged) channel. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) navigation mission is to maintain the Nation's waterborne transportation systems for movement of commerce, national security needs, and recreation. These systems include harbors, waterways, and channels. Channels are located in and along our coasts, bays, estuaries and rivers, and are dredged to maintain depths needed for reliable passage of vessels. This CHETN concerns coastal inlet entrance channels, and the dredging required to maintain navigable conditions after the channel's dimensions have been increased.